This invention relates to interactive simulations, and more particularly to simulations and games including force or touch feedback to a joystick or multi-axis controller or input device.
Interactive computer simulations and, interactive video games often include a movable structure generally known as a joystick to provide inputs for the simulation or game. Oftentimes, the joystick is strictly an input device by which signals are conveyed to the processing unit of the computer. These joysticks do not provide any tactile or force feedback to the user.
The Atari Hard Drivin(copyright) video game provides one-dimensional force feedback to a steering wheel or a brake pedal. That is, during a game, torques are generated on the steering wheel which simulate those torques which would be experienced during, for example, cornering in a car. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,956. In a more general simulation context, control elements including force feedback are known in elaborate flight simulators costing many millions of dollars. Heretofore, there has been no multiple-degree-of-freedom joystick suitable for games and simulations and suitable for arcade and home use.
The interactive simulation system of the invention includes a computer or game display unit programmed with simulation rules. A control unit is connected to the computer and provides information and control signals to the computer to interact with the stored simulation rules and to receive information and control signals from the computer. A movable structure for movement in at least two degrees-of-freedom by an operator is interconnected to the control unit by means of actuators. A programmable unit processes signals and information from the computer to generate signals to drive the actuators so as to apply forces in the at least two degrees-of-freedom to the movable structure and thereby to the operator. The applied forces are based on internal programming within the programmable unit, events occurring in the simulation and movements of and forces applied to the movable structure by the operator. The system thereby provides continuous interaction among motion of and forces applied by the movable structure, the events in the simulation and forces applied to and applied by the movable structure.
In a preferred embodiment the simulation system is an interactive video game and the programmable unit resides in the control unit. In this embodiment, the movable structure is a joystick with two degrees-of-freedom. The actuators include electric motors driving a low-friction, low-backlash transmission. The programmable unit includes integrated electronics for controlling feedback and modeling user interaction with the simulation or game. It is also preferred that information compression technology be used so that much smaller information sets can be processed and communicated while still achieving a desired experience.
By providing touch or force feedback, the system of the invention more effectively involves the operator in the simulation or game. For example, in two-dimensional games such as flight simulators the present touch feedback is used to allow the player to feel the difference in performance between a small general aviation airplane and a high performance military fighter and to feel environmental forces such as air turbulence or updrafts. In this case the joystick, known as a PowerStick(trademark), will feel a variety of programmable effects including feeling xe2x80x9cstifferxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csofterxe2x80x9d depending on which type of airplane is being xe2x80x9cflownxe2x80x9d by the simulation user. In three-dimensional games (which are just now becoming available) force feedback is particularly valuable because navigating in a three-dimensional environment is often difficult and the touch feedback provided by the invention will enable the user to feel objects which are being encountered and provide a real-time indication of where an object controlled by the user or player is. In games involving contact, such as fighting games, the invention simulates and displays to the operator""s hand the feel of collisions with objects encountered during the game or simulation and interaction with terrains of different textures.